More Drams, Less Drama

Famille Cabanne Lot 24 Cognac

5th January 20253rd January 2025Coldorak

A century. That’s the age of this Grande Champagne cognac. A century is a period of 100 years, a significant unit of time that allows us to reflect on historical, cultural, and scientific advancements. The term comes from the Latin word centum, meaning ‘hundred’. Centuries are often used to measure the progress of civilisations, identify eras, and study the impact of human activity on the world. For instance, the 20th century (1901–2000) and the 21st century (2001-present) have been marked by extraordinary changes and developments, shaping the modern era. Let’s reflect quickly on what has happened since 1924, when this Famille Cabanne Lot 24 Cognac was distilled, three generations ago.

Agitator 2019 & 2020 The Whisky Jury

4th January 20253rd January 2025Coldorak

We stay with Nordic whisky after the Sall Whisky 2020 Whisky Watcher from two days ago, this time with a duo of Agitator whiskies. Agitator Whiskymakare, a Swedish distillery founded in Arboga in 2017, stands out for its innovative production techniques. With an annual capacity of 500,000 litres of pure alcohol (lpa), their methods go beyond the typical marketing buzz around ‘innovation’ often touted by larger distilleries.

For instance, instead of adding water during mashing to extract sugars, Agitator adds water during the milling process. Later, the fermented wash is divided between two pairs of stills that operate under vacuum, enabling distillation at lower temperatures. They also experiment with a variety of grains beyond barley, use unique types of wood, such as chestnut, and even employ wave stave casks. Additionally, their approach to cask filling is unconventional, with some of their new make spirit entering barrels at 55% ABV instead of the standard 63.5%.

Today, we’ll be reviewing two single cask whiskies from Agitator, both selected by an independent bottler, and both using wave stave casks: the Agitator 2019 and 2020, bottled by The Whisky Jury.

My Recap of 2024 – Part 2

3rd January 20253rd January 2025Coldorak

Although I shared my recap of 2024 two days ago, I realised there were more personal and insightful statistics worth exploring. These might inspire you to reflect on your own whisky spending and how it breaks down across categories: official vs. independent bottlings, age, ABV, or even the total days of whisky you’ve purchased (assuming one dram per day). If that number exceeds 365, and you’re not drinking more than one dram daily, then your collection has grown! So, here’s my 2024 recap – part two.

Sall Whisky 2020 Whisky Watcher

2nd January 20252nd January 2025Coldorak

Sall Whisky Distillery, a Danish microdistillery, was established in late 2018 by a group of friends with a shared vision of making a fully local whisky using their own home-grown, organic cereals. Their journey began with the launch of their new make in 2019, followed by their inaugural single malt whisky in early 2023, aged just three years. In 2024, they introduced three small-batch releases – Muld, Tørv, and Glød. However, today’s review focuses on a unique offering: the Sall Whisky 2020 Whisky Watcher. This release, from Whisky Watcher – a Danish shop and independent bottler specialising in whisky, rum, and other spirits – is the distillery’s only independent bottling to date.

My Recap Of 2024

1st January 20251st January 2025Coldorak

2024 has been quite a unique year for me, both personally and in my journey with spirits. While I’ll keep the personal side of things private – those who need to know are already in the loop – I’d love to share what this year has meant for me in terms of exploring spirits. It’s been about so much more than just whisky, and I’m excited to reflect on the highlights and, of course, reveal my favourite whiskies and spirits of the year.

Hakushu and Yamazaki 25-year-old (2024)

31st December 202430th December 2024Coldorak

Back in September, I attended the Dugas Club Expert show, primarily to catch up with Graham and Fay Coull, who were making an appearance since leaving Dingle. The event featured a stunning Suntory booth, as Dugas distributes their products in France. One side of the booth showcased Laphroaig and Bowmore, while the other side highlighted Suntory’s Japanese brands: Chita, Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Hibiki.

Thanks to the generous pours from Christophe Davoine, House of Suntory’s brand ambassador, I was able to bring home samples of Yamazaki 25-Year-Old and Hakushu 25-Year-Old for a proper review with a fresh palate. We’ve already reviewed the younger Yamazaki expressions – Distiller’s Reserve, 12-Year-Old, and 18-Year-Old – which happens to be one of the most read articles on this humble blog. Before I dive into Hakushu’s lineup, including the Distiller’s Reserve, 12-Year-Old, and 18-Year-Old (coming soon…ish), let’s focus on these 25-Year-Old expressions.

François Voyer Hors d’Âge Cognac

25th December 202414th February 2025Coldorak

For our final dram – already unfortunately – in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, we have a François Voyer Hors d’Âge Cognac, from the Grande Champagne cru. The Chauchet-Voyer family has cultivated their vineyard since the French Revolution in the villages of Verrières and Ambleville, in the Grande Champagne region, renowned for Cognac production. In the late 19th century, Paul André was among the few winemakers distilling their own harvest rather than selling it, leaving behind a legacy that includes numerous old eaux-de-vie and a Paradise filled with 1er cru de Cognac eaux-de-vie.

François Voyer Cognac is made exclusively from Grande Champagne grapes, with the family vineyard of 8 hectares, distilling and bottling in-house to ensure quality and preserve tradition. Their expertise has been passed down for five generations since 1870. Dedicated to sustainable farming, François Voyer was one of the first estates to earn the Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certification, awarded by the BNIC after a thorough audit.

Their family estate is shared between Grande Champagne’s 1st Cru of Cognac and Fins Bois Cru, and the estate has been entrusted to its current cellar master, Pierre Vaudon, and the winemaking embodied by Anne-Marie Vaudon, to continue its legacy for years to come.

Hardy Noces de Perle Cognac

24th December 202424th December 2024Coldorak

The penultimate cognac in our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar is a 30-year-old Hardy Noces de Perle Cognac. Cognac Hardy, established in 1863 by British-born Anthony Hardy, is a testament to passion and resilience in the cognac world. After relocating to France and embracing French culture – adopting the name Antoine and the rooster as his emblem – Hardy earned a stellar reputation for his dedication to Fine Champagne cognac, evidenced by awards such as the 1869 Diploma of Excellence at the Amsterdam Exhibition. Despite challenges like the devastating phylloxera outbreak in the late 19th century, Hardy preserved sufficient reserves to rebuild and expand globally. Over generations, leadership passed through family hands, with each era bringing innovation and market growth. Notable milestones include the invention of ‘Anniversary’ cognacs in 1960, marked by the creation of iconic decanters like Noces de Perle (30 years) and Noces d’Albâtre (75 years). Under Jacques Hardy’s leadership, the company extended its reach to new continents. He retired in 1999, and the company name changed from A. Hardy et Cie to Cognac Hardy.

Domaine La Prenellerie Hors d’Âge Cognac

23rd December 202422nd December 2024Coldorak

For the twenty-second and antepenultimate dram from our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, we have a 50-year-old Domaine La Prenellerie Hors d’Âge Cognac, from the Bons Bois cru. At the Domaine de la Prenellerie, winemaking has been a family tradition for generations. In 1966, Guy Billonneau took over his grandmother’s farm in Épargnes, which, at the time, combined crop farming and livestock. Seeing the potential of the land near the Estuary, he shifted entirely to viticulture. He learned the craft from his father, Robert Billonneau, who was also a winegrower. Over nearly four decades, Guy focused on producing Cognac and Pineau.

In 2003, his son, Frédéric Billonneau, who was working in import/export, decided to produce wine from a small plot of Merlot vines. Using traditional methods, including hand harvesting, his initial project grew into a larger venture. Frédéric eventually took over the family estate, expanding its production to include red, rosé, and white wines in addition to Cognac and Pineau.

In 2020, the estate received ‘Haute Valeur Environnementale’ certification, reflecting its efforts in biodiversity conservation, fertilisation management, and water use practices.

Grosperrin N°76 Grande Champagne Cognac

22nd December 202421st December 2024Coldorak

As a conclusion to the third week into our Cognac-Expert Advent Calendar, we found a Grosperrin N°76 Grande Champagne Cognac. Jean Grosperrin began his career in the wine industry as a distiller in Lorraine in the early 1980s before moving to Cognac, where he became a broker in 1991 and a wholesaler in 1994. In 1999, he started bottling his own casks, leveraging strong relationships with both Cognac winemakers and traders. During his career, he discovered many rare, heirloom Cognacs stored in the region’s cellars, offering a glimpse into pre-modern winemaking traditions. This network allowed him access to some of the oldest and most sought-after eaux-de-vie. Jean retired in 2003 due to health issues.

Today, Grosperrin Cognac remains a family-run business, led by Jean’s son, Guilhem Grosperrin, since 2004. The house maintains rigorous standards, ensuring full traceability of dates and vintages. Cognacs are stored under state control in ORECO warehouses, bottled under the supervision of a bailiff, and sealed with traceable labels and certificates, preserving the integrity of each release.